World Ham Contest «Popi», Ciudad de Estepona

He was born in Cortes de la Frontera, in the Serranía de Ronda, and grew up in Estepona. A carver by trade, he organises three events a year with the Town Council and has repeated one line from the start: “I have created an event everyone can go to, because who doesn’t like ham?”

Paseo Marítimo Pedro Manrique, Estepona, beside La Rada beach, between Avenida Juan Carlos I and the marina.

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1. On foot

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   The promenade is a step from the old town. You come in at any point between Avenida Juan Carlos I and the marina, more than a kilometre of flat, open ground.

2. By bus

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   Estepona bus station is 20 to 25 minutes on foot. From Málaga, the Avanza coach takes around 1 h 10; from Gibraltar and La Línea, Avanza or the M-240 line. Within the town, urban lines 1, 2 and 3.

3. By car

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   In 2026 the Avenida de España boulevard car park offered more than two thousand spaces at one euro a day. The Litoral and Palacio de Congresos car parks were free, and the Parking Paseo Marítimo, next to the site, has around two hundred spaces.

4. Accessibility

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   The whole site is seafront promenade, with no steps or slopes. La Rada beach has assisted bathing in season.

5. Information

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   Estepona Tourist Office: +34 952 80 20 02. Emergencies: 112.

• When is the next edition?

  In August, as every year, on the Paseo Marítimo. The twelfth edition does not yet have dates; they will be published here as soon as the organisers confirm them.

• Is there an entry fee?

  No. Entry to the site is free and so are the concerts. Inside, every plate of ham costs €5, the same price since the first edition, and drinks stay cheap: in 2026, a beer was €1.50.

• Where is it held?

  On Estepona’s Paseo Marítimo, in the open air, between Avenida Juan Carlos I and the marina, with La Rada beach alongside and the old town a step away.

• What are the opening hours?

  In 2026 the site opened on all ten days from seven in the evening to two in the morning, with the concert at half past eleven.

• How do I get there from Málaga or Gibraltar?

  From Málaga, by Avanza coach to Estepona bus station, around 1 h 10. From Gibraltar and La Línea, by Avanza or the M-240 line. The station is 20 to 25 minutes on foot from the promenade.

• Where can I park?

  In 2026 the Avenida de España boulevard car park offered more than two thousand spaces at one euro a day; the Litoral and Palacio de Congresos car parks were free. The Parking Paseo Marítimo, next to the site, has around two hundred spaces.

• Is it suitable for children or reduced mobility?

  Yes. It is a flat promenade with no steps, you come and go as you please and the atmosphere is family-friendly. With small children, most people come at dinner time, before the concert. La Rada beach has assisted bathing in season.

• Do producers and visitors come from outside Estepona?

  Exhibitors come from the main Iberian ham regions, such as Los Pedroches, Guijuelo, Jabugo and Extremadura, alongside Sabor a Málaga producers. The Junta de Andalucía’s file puts visitors from outside Estepona at between 30 and 40 %, and the Costa del Sol’s English-language press covers it every August.

• How is it different from the National Carvers’ Contest?

  They are two events by the same promoter. The August Certamen is a tasting fair with carvers working in full view, with no ranking. The National Contest “Trofeo Popi” is a spring competition in the old town, with eight carvers, a jury and prizes, which held its sixteenth edition on 19 April 2026.

• How do I contact the organisers?

  Through the form on this website, which goes straight to the organisers. It serves visitors, press, exhibitors, carvers and sponsors.